by Tara Ford
“It’s Marj – she’s the cause of everything. I know she’s just a little old lady but she’s caused so much trouble.” Jenny sniffed and took the serviette.
“I’m all ears… carry on…”
The meal and the ‘off-loading’ had made Jenny feel so much better. Aaron had sat listening, intently and had appeared somewhat stunned by her revelations.
“And you say that you have the woman’s phone number?”
Jenny nodded her head.
“Could I give her a call?” Aaron paused. “Just to reassure her… you can listen in on the conversation if you’d like.”
Jenny nodded again. She was too exhausted to speak and her jaw was clamped shut and propped up by her hands anyway.
“And your shop will take off, eventually. Three hundred pounds lost from the nursery, will seem like nothing in a few months’ time.”
Nodding her head repeatedly, Jenny wished that she didn’t have to go back to work. It was cosy in the café, sitting opposite Aaron and gazing into his eyes. She had to return though. Tasha would want to leave at two o’clock.
“Come on – we’d better get you back to the shop. I’ll make that phone call when we get back.”
How could she have ever doubted Aaron? Maybe she was going insane. Perhaps she was more tired than she thought. Possibly, she needed a break from the shop already. What a wimp she was turning into.
Tasha left after asking if Jenny was ok.
Jenny had assured her that she was fine and also commented on the delightful appearance of the awning. She had thanked Tasha for ‘taking over’ at a moments notice, as well.
Dayna had been stuck behind the counter, with one customer after another. The urgency in her eyes looked painful. Jenny knew that she had been told everything but Dayna would be desperate to get it ‘from the horse’s mouth’, as she always liked to quote, when she was homing in on the latest gossip.
“Hello… is that Trudy? Trudy Grange?” Aaron sounded very professional on the phone. “My name is Aaron Frey.” Aaron looked up and winked at Jenny. “Aaron… Aaron Frey.” Rubbing his forehead, he continued. “You may not know me by my last name. I am Aaron –from J’s Convenience Store.”
Jenny signed a ‘T’ and Aaron nodded eagerly.
“No, I don’t work at the shop. I have carried out some work here though. And I have met your mum, Marj, quite by accident, when I’ve been in the shop.”
From the staffroom, Jenny could just hear Aaron’s voice, through the small adjoining window.
“Yes, she has told me everything. I can assure you that the whole story is complete fabrication, madam.”
While the kettle boiled, Jenny heard only snippets of the, longer than expected, conversation that Aaron was having. She made tea for three and carried one up to Dayna, who was still itching to know everything.
“You ok,” mouthed Dayna, in between serving two people.
Jenny nodded and smiled. “I’ll talk to you soon. Aaron’s on the phone at the moment. I’m going back to the office.”
“Ok,” she whispered. “Make sure you do.”
As Jenny arrived at the office door, Aaron had just replaced the receiver. He puffed out his cheeks and stretched back in the chair. “I’m not sure that she is convinced, you know,” he said, clasping his hands together at the back of his head.
“Oh dear – why?”
“Well, she seems to think that you and I are in this together.”
Jenny tutted. “So what do we do about that?”
“I’m not sure that there is anything we can do about it.” A wry smile crept across Aaron’s face. “I would say… whatever you do Jenny… just don’t take any money from Marj. Like £15,000… even if she wants it in toilet rolls.”
Jenny burst into laughter and almost cried again. “You’re so funny. Not!” Then she laughed some more. Almost hysterically.
Gulping down the last of his tea, Aaron stood up. “So, I’ll come back at eight and run through the cashing up process with you.”
“Are you sure that you don’t mind coming back so late?”
“Part of the job,” said Aaron, pecking Jenny on the cheek. “Come out for dinner with me, afterwards.”
“You’ll be getting sick of the sight of me soon,” Jenny joked.
“No I won’t.” Aaron looked her up and down. “And you’re fine dressed like that. We’ll go straight from here – yes?”
“Ok, if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure,” replied Aaron. “I’ll see you later.”
“You’re going to ask me to start at the beginning – I know it.”
“Uh-huh,” breathed Dayna, nodding her head, slowly.
“Well, we haven’t got all day. What do you know already?”
“All of it, I think.” Dayna shook her head. “It’s crazy around here. What have we got ourselves in to, Jen? Or should I say – what have you got yourself in to?”
“You know, when I got this shop… I knew that it would be hard work and I’d struggle with tiredness… but this is a level up from that. I didn’t for one minute, expect the sort of problems I’m getting now.”
“No, I know. I can’t believe what Andrea said about you…”
“Well, to be fair, I think that came from Tracey – the boss.”
“Hmm…”
“There is something that you don’t know though...”
“What?” Dayna’s eyes lit up. She was hearing it (whatever ‘it’ was) straight from ‘the horse’s mouth’ now.
“I’ve been, err… sort of seeing Aaron.” Jenny’s face beamed.
“You have?”
“Hmm.”
“In what sense? Do you mean you’re dating him? I thought you said you weren’t dating him. You said it was purely business.” Dayna bit her bottom lip. “Have you slept with him?”
“No – just seeing him, really.”
“Well I know that you’ve been ‘seeing him’, as you say. So what do you mean if you’re not dating him?”
“Well…” Jenny gazed out of the window. “We’ve kissed.”
“Blimey – have you?”
Jenny nodded and smiled.
“So. Along with going out for lunch and the fact that you’ve kissed him – you must be dating him.” Dayna clapped her hands together. “What’s he like?” she asked excitedly.
“You know what he’s like…”
“I don’t know what he’s like – I haven’t kissed him, Jen. I mean, what was it like?”
“Dreamy,” Jenny grinned. “He’s lovely.”
“Knew he fancied you.”
“Don’t know how I’m ever going to fit him in though…”
Dayna frowned. “Why? How big is his old todger for heaven’s sake?”
“Dayna!” Jenny slapped her friend around the arm and laughed out loud. “You know what I meant.”
“You said you can’t fit him in – I assumed you’d had a feel, what with kissing him. It does arouse them you know.”
Jenny couldn’t say anything due to her fit of giggles. Dayna then joined in.
“You crack me up sometimes,” spluttered Jenny. “I wouldn’t know about that, I never went there.”
“Are you going to?” Dayna asked, in between gasps and chuckles.
“I don’t know. I haven’t planned that far ahead. We’ve kissed a couple of times and that is it.” Jenny gently poked her bestie in the side. Dayna was just the tonic she needed. “I don’t know how I could squeeze him in though, to be honest.”
“There you go again – rattling on about the size of his man-bits.”
Shaking her head and giggling, Jenny placed a finger to her lips as a woman pushed the front door open.
Dayna burst into a raucous roar and immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled through her fingers.
“Got the giggles,” said Jenny, apologetically, to the surprised looking woman. “Go and make drinks,” Jenny whispered. “Now.”
Dayna scur
ried away, still clutching her mouth and making muffled chuckling noises.
“Jen!” Dayna called from the far end of the empty shop. “Jacob’s on the phone.”
Jenny raced down the aisle, suddenly recalling the conversation she’d had with him yesterday. Taking the phone from Dayna, she said, “Hello.”
“Jen, I’ve spoken to Rob at the garage. He said that they can’t do anything about the bill – well, I didn’t think they could, but he did say that the woman had stated clearly that she wanted the ‘full-works’ to get her car back to normal.”
“Ok…” Jenny rolled her eyes.
“Rob said that she could have had it done a lot cheaper but she insisted on a brand new wing mirror and a re-spray of the whole door. They could have rubbed the tiny scratch out – according to Rob. And refitted the mirror.”
“Great.”
“You should contact your insurance company, Jen. She’s making this claim privately but your insurance would sort it out fairly.”
“And charge me for it… and I’d lose my no-claims. I’ve got nine years on that.”
“Well, it’s up to you, Sis. Alternatively, take her to a small claims court – fight it out there. Could cost you even more though,” Jacob warned.
Jenny sighed. “Ok, thanks, Jay. I do appreciate you going over there for me. I’ll have to think about it.”
“Don’t leave it too long – especially if you’re going to claim on the insurance.”
“No, I won’t. What a bloody mess this is,” admitted Jenny.
“Yep – teach you to not go hauling heavy bins around in the middle of the night.” Jacob tittered.
“Tell me about it… turns out, she’s the owner of the nursery. They’ve now cancelled their daily order with me because they think I’m some psychotic maniac.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,” echoed Jenny. “I’ve lost over £300 a week now. I know it was my stupid fault to go flying out of the shop at breakneck speed… but it seems that things go from bad to worse around here.”
“Sounds like it, Sis. Maybe it’s not you that’s a psychotic maniac – it’s them.”
“I am wondering.”
“You’ve landed yourself in a right weird community there, haven’t you?” Jacob sounded sympathetic.
“It appears so. I’ll work it out though. You know me – never give up on a dream.”
“You said it, Sis.” Jacob sighed. “Let me know what happens with the car. And call me if you need me to do anything else.”
“I will. Thanks, Jay. You’re my favourite brother.”
“Yeah of course – your only brother – thanks for that.” Jacob laughed down the phone. “Catch you later.”
“Jen, I meant to say to you earlier…” Dayna peered out of the window and watched one of the parents from the nursery, wrestle her toddler into the back of a car. “We noticed – as in me and Tasha – that none of the nursery staff came in to get their lunch today.”
“That explains why the till doesn’t look as full as normal then,” said Jenny, dejectedly.
“One of them – the one with the big, orange hair?”
“Yes, I know…”
“Well she walked right past the shop with a KO Store carrier bag. She was deliberately swinging it as she went past and she had her nose stuck up in the air.”
“Nothing I can do about it…”
“I wanted to go out there and punch her nose further up her face… lairy cow.”
“That would just confirm the psychotic maniac accusation. But it would be even worse… everyone would think that we had two psychopaths in here.”
“Yeah well… she better not cross my path with that attitude though.” Dayna watched the woman with the toddler, drive away. “I’m still peed off with the old git upstairs and if I see him… well… he’s gonna get it. Spitting at me – dirty bugger.”
“All right, Day, calm down.” Jenny worried for Dayna when she was in fighting-talk mode. “We’ll get through this, I’m sure. I still have faith that we can make it work here.”
“Too right, and all the more so since this has happened.”
“Hi… Aa…ron,” said Dayna, foxily. “Jen’s down there.” Pointing towards the fridges, Dayna smirked. Before Aaron had moved from the doorway, Dayna called down the aisle, in her most sultry of voices. “Jen…ny! Aa…ron is here.”
A tinge of red flushed Aaron’s cheeks as he smiled and nodded at Dayna.
Watching his every move, Dayna continued to tie up the paper bundles. “You two off out tonight then?” she called after him.
Aaron turned and grinned.
Jenny looked up and nodded.
“Hope you have a nice time,” said Dayna. ”Jen, I’m off in a minute. Want me to put these out the back?”
“I can do that for you,” said Aaron, drawing his hands out from his pockets and walking back to the counter.
“Ooh… gentleman as well.”
Aaron laughed, embarrassedly. He collected several bundles from the counter and headed off to the office.
Jenny placed the dairy order-pad on the side of the fridge. “Shut up, Day,” she whispered. “We’re not teenagers.”
“All right – just having a little joke,” she replied, holding her palms up. “He’s sweet. I was only playing.”
“He’s here to show me how to cash up on these new tills.” Jenny turned to make sure that Aaron wasn’t behind her.
“So you’re not going anywhere with him, after?”
“Well… yes. Just for a meal. He insisted. After the day I’ve had, I don’t fancy going home to sit in my flat and stew.”
“Take him home with you… you could cook up a steamy stew together.” Dayna giggled.
“Shut up. Time you went home yourself. See you tomorrow.” Jenny’s relationship with Dayna was strong enough to take the odd bit of banter or in Dayna’s case, the odd telling-off. “Go on – clear off.” Jenny winked at her dearest friend and shoved her towards the staffroom. “Goodbye, Dayna.”
Jotting down each step in the process of cashing up and recording the day’s takings, Jenny was baffled by the complexity of the ‘reporting’ process. “Glad I’ve written it all down. I’d never remember all of that.”
“That’s why I said take notes. I haven’t got a spare manual to give you at the moment. It does tell you everything on here but I think it’s easier to show you.”
“Hmm…”
“But look at what you have now…” said Aaron, as he brought up a new page.
“Wow – it’s got everything there.”
“Yep. Good enough for the taxman. This one page can be used for pretty much all of your accounting.”
“Gosh – it looks so much clearer now.”
“Wait until you see the stock control sheets…” Aaron looked at his watch. “But shall we do that later in the week?”
“Yes, sure.”
“Let’s go and get dinner – I’m starving.” Aaron stood up and stretched his legs. “I’m away for a couple of days, from tomorrow. I could come in on Friday and go through the stock control with you.”
“Yes. Ok…” Jenny registered Aaron’s last words. “…Off anywhere nice?” she asked, falteringly.
“Business trip, nothing exciting. Germany. I’ll be home Friday morning so I could come back that afternoon.”
Jenny nodded. “Yes, I’ll book you into my diary,” she half giggled.
“Come on then, let’s go. I’ll follow you back to your place and then we can go in my car.”
“Chauffer driven – that’s what I like,” replied Jenny, in jest.
Aaron looked up to the ceiling as the thumps started. They were a little later than normal. “See what you mean about that,” he said, following the trail of sound along the shop. “Come on, let’s see if we can beat him to the front of the shop.” Taking hold of Jenny’s hand, he pulled her along the aisle at a fast pace. They laughed like a pair of kids, racing around a playground.
&
nbsp; The evening had flown past but then it was almost nine o’clock when they arrived at the quaint, little village restaurant. Jenny commented several times on the tranquility of the large, cottage-style building and the quiet laid back feel of it. It was her kind of place.
Following the delicious meal, consisting of rib-eye steaks, French fries and peas, both Jenny and Aaron set about devouring a share-size, Knickerbocker Glory. The evening had been swift but sweet. Much small talk and dreamy glances across the table had made for a romantic evening.
Back at Jenny’s flat, they had arrived at the ‘Do you want to come in for a coffee’ moment. Jenny glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Another late night. If she invited him in, they could be there until the early hours. What the heck – she would invite him in anyway.
“Do you want a quick coffee?” Jenny asked, softly.
Aaron looked across at her with his dark eyes. “Jenny, I would love nothing more than to come in for a coffee… but… I have to be at Gatwick by six thirty.”
Jenny’s heart sank, she’d geared herself up for this. “Oh really? Guess you’ll have to leave about half four then?”
“Yes, something like that.” Aaron slid his arm behind Jenny’s shoulders. “Wish I didn’t have to go. Would much rather stay for a coffee.” Leaning over the gear stick, he kissed her gently on the lips. Then again. Softer. Slower.
“I’ve got to go,” breathed Aaron. “Any more of this and I’ll be coming in for coffee…”
“I really have to go…” Aaron sat up straight and tugged at his dishevelled shirt. “If I don’t go, I’ll be coming in for more than just coffee.” He smiled and looked deep in to Jenny’s eyes. “I’m joking.”
Jenny stood by the front door and waved as Aaron glided away in his sleek, black BMW. She would miss him. She hardly knew him. But she would still miss him.
Chapter 25
J’s shop
Did you get permission for that?
